In the past several years, more companies have launched a global presence than ever before, making this the perfect time for businesses of all scopes and sizes to grab a grander slice of their target market and truly think outside their local box. Such a mindset is greatly supported by the ongoing development in the world of technology and digitalization, with more advanced solutions implemented on a regular basis to help brands reach more people with fewer resources. Still, marketing to one niched group of people is different from trying to market to a global population.
It takes thorough preparation and planning to make sure that your business is ready to tackle the global market and that your brand is worthy of a global presence. Here, we’ve assembled a few practical tips on how you can boost your global marketing strategy and take your international presence to the next level.
Research your new target audience
It all begins with knowledge. You started your business by recognizing a need among your customers, a gap in your market that other companies do not fulfill, at least not to the extent you promise to do so. This knowledge should be the basis for all of your global marketing endeavors, as well. That said, you need to spend a decent amount of time actually conducting thorough research about your target markets internationally – and separately so.
The trends that are relevant and that drive the audience in, let’s say, Hong Kong, might not be the same that keep your followers interested in Australia or Scandinavia. Since you cannot take the entire world by storm right away, aim for a step-by-step, research-based approach as you move towards local target markets that you can genuinely help develop with your services.
Adapt your SEO strategy to new locations
With that knowledge at your fingertips, you can build and refine your presence to adapt to those new environments. Let’s take the fast-evolving Asian market as a perfect example of a region that’s exceptionally opportune for global businesses. The opportunities are numerous, but so are the challenges, so it’s up to you to position yourself in the SERPs to take a notable stand for those key search phrases of your new audience.
Once again, you need to take a highly-localized stance in order for your marketing tactics to work and to earn the digital spotlight, for instance, in Hong Kong as one of those markets where you’d like to launch your brand. To succeed in such an endeavor, you can use strategies specialized for Hong Kong SEO that help you reach your new audience with a customized approach. Utilizing local research with local expertise will allow you to stand out and not merely blend in, and search engines will slowly grant you a higher position in the results to let more people find out about your business.
Don’t just translate your message
As practical as it may be, translation is not the most promising take on adapting your digital presence for the purpose of marketing globally. The core of the modern-day marketing approach is personalization and brand humanization, whereas simple translation will fail to convey the same values or allow your brand to embody the cultural elements of your new target market.
Simple translations fail to retain the essence of your brand, and they cannot do your brand justice in a new culture. That is why content localization is vital, and you should try to adapt your presence without foregoing your brand identity. Only then can you truly market your business in any new location – when there’s a truly authentic, localized version of your business prepared to tackle the new market.
Set up appropriate KPIs and goals
With data and insights to fuel your strategy, you now need to establish the key parameters by which you’ll measure the success of your campaigns, and specific, measurable goals to assign to each campaign. With different markets, you’ll aim for various goals, and they can range from taking a more prominent social media presence, to establishing sales at a specific, profitable number. The more specific you can get, the easier it will be for you to adapt your strategy as you move forward.
Build local partnerships
Last, but certainly not the least essential, global marketing allows you to expand your vendor and partnership networks. Since building a global business is often preceded by years of building up your brand reputation, you likely already have relevant contacts in your target market. You can establish valuable, mutually-beneficial partnerships with prominent brands in the regions you’d like to penetrate, so as to let customers associate your name with those of already trusted business entities.
A global strategy takes time to develop and evolve, let alone to take effect once you start launching your campaigns. Taking the time to get to know your target demographic, to master the art of addressing your new audience, and to learn about the advantage your competitors have in each target market will all allow you to position and market your business better. Put these elements into your strategy to ensure the success of your marketing approach, and your business will slowly build a notable presence wherever you decide to market your offers.
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